Another likely convert to Western Martial Arts

Johnathan Pearce is starting on that road that leads to the mysteries of Western Martial Arts:

In the meantime, I have started to fence. Fencing, I find, is even more physically demanding than Bujinkan (yes, really). Initially, I am learning to use the foil, a very light sword where you score if you hit the opponent on certain parts of the body. Depending on which type of sword one uses, you score differently by hitting certain body parts. Of course fencers wear lots of protection these days so there is little chance of getting injured although you cannot afford to be reckless. I find it incredibly good for eye-hand co-ordination. I have also learned that one needs to do lots of stretching exercises since fencing requires people to be flexlible. My knee joints felt pretty sore the following morning after a class. It is a good incentive to get really fit.

Olympic-style fencing is fun, can be an excellent incentive to improve your general state of physical fitness, but can also lead to the hard stuff: smallswords, rapier-and-dagger, broadsword, and other highly-addictive toys.